Time controlled mechanism



April 10, 1934.]

J. J. NOETH EI'AL TIME CONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed June 25, 1.930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 10, 1934.

J.J.NOETH ETAL TIME CONTROLLED MECHANISM Uh H'UWHU.

Filed June 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J6 f 1 a L"--' .2

Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES TIME CONTROLLED MECHANISM John J. Noeth and Frederick E. Hummcl, Chicago, 111.

Application June 25, 1930, Serial No. 463,637

4 Claims.

The invention relates to time controlled mechanism. One object of the invention is to provide an improved construction in which the movement of the device to be shifted is controlled by a reciprocatory element provided with a rack and a wheel for engaging the rack in connection with means for checking the movement of the wheel to control the operation of the device, and the improvement consists primarily in movably supporting the wheel, so that it may be easily manipulated to disengage the rack whenever it should be desired to reset the mechanism.

Other objects will appear from a consideration .of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a rear elevation 01' .an egg boiler embodying the invention. Fig. 2

is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 2a is a section on line 2a2a of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through one of the time-con- .trolled devices. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the weight and its associated switch controlling arm. Fig. 6 is a vertical section illustrating the toothed rack controlling wheel disengaged from the rack to permit release or resetting of the weight for operating the basket.

The invention is exemplified in an egg boiler comprising a vessel or boiler a which is adapted to contain hot or boiling water; a plurality of hollow standards b fixed to the vessel; baskets 0 adapted to contain eggs or the material to be boiled, and movable vertically into and out of the vessel; chains 0 to one end of which the vessels are respectively connected, and weights (1 which are guided and slidable in the standards b respectively. These weights are connected to the other end of the chains 0', and each is sufficient to lift a basket and its load out of the vessel (1. Each chain is trained around a guidepulley c at the upper end of one of the standards. A vertically adjustable stop 6 is provided in each standard for limiting the upward movement of its associated weight d. An electric motor is mounted in a frame 21 which is secured to the vessel a. This motor is designed to check and drive, through suitable speed reducing 50 gearing f, the devices for controlling the operation of the weights d so as to release the weights at the end of variable predetermined periods.

The devices for controlling the weights are alike in construction, so that a description of one will be applicable to each. Speed reducing gearing of any suitable construction is enclosed in a casing f, and includes a driven shaft f having a pinion f which meshes with a gear I which is secured to a shaft 10 which is extended to operate the controlling devices for all of the weights (1.

Each weight d has secured to its rear side a toothed rack 63. A toothed wheel 9 is provided for checking and controlling each of the weights 01. Each toothed wheel g is connected 65 to be checked and controlled by shaft 10. Each toothed wheel g is fixed to a shaft g which is journalled in a frame 9 Each frame 9 is pivoted on the shaft 10 so that the wheel 9 can be moved bodily into and out of engagement with its associated rack d to permit the weight to be manually released whenever desired. Each shaft 9 has secured thereto a gear-wheel g which meshes with a gear-wheel g fixed to shaft 10, so that each rack d while meshing with its wheel y, will be lowered as the motor is operated, until the rack clears the toothed wheel, and thereupon the weight will be free to drop to lift its load out of the bottom and terminate the 'op erating operation. A spring 12, held by a lug 13 and screw 14, is applied to the frame 9 to press the wheel g yieldingly and normally into the path of the rack d and cause the teeth of the wheel to engage the teeth of the rack when the weight is raised. Each toothed wheel g, frame g and pair of gears g 9 are enclosed in a housing 15 which is secured to the back wall of one of the hollow standards b, and is provided with a removable back-plate 16. A finger-piece 17 is fixed to and projects rearwardly from the lower portion of frame g for swinging frame 9 to move the toothed wheel g backwardly so its teeth will clear the teeth of the rack d. An opening 18 is cut in the back-wall of the standard b so the wheel Q can pass therethrough to engage the rack d. Preferably, the teeth on the wheel g and rack d are ratchet-shaped, so that as the weight d and rack d are manually lifted by the lowering of the basket 0, the teeth of the wheel and rack will slide over one another, the spring 12 permitting the wheel g to yield for this purpose.

Mechanism is provided to control the operation of the motor so that it will operate while any of the time controlling mechanisms are in use, and for this purpose a Mercoid switch it is included in the circuit between the motor 1 and the terminal contacts h, W. This switch is mounted on an arm 71 which is fixed to a shaft 23 which is journalled in the frame 21 on which the motor ,1 is

mounted. A spring 22 is applied normally to hold the switch arm in position to open the circuit. Arm n is fixed to theshaft 23 which extends through the housings 15 and is provided in each housing with a controller arm 25, the upper end of which is extended, as at 26, into the path of one of the weights (1, so that, so long as any of the weights is in its raised or operative position, it will hold one of the controller arms 25 in position to rock shaft 23 and arm n to close the motor circuit through the Mercoid switch 8.

Each stop bar e is vertically slidable in one of the standards I), and is provided at one side with teeth e which are adapted to interlock with a fixed tooth e on the top of the standard. A spring 6 holds the stop bar in engagement with the fixed tooth 6 By raising or lowering the stop bar, the upward stroke of the weight (1 may be adjusted, to cause the period during which the weight remains checked by the toothed wheel g to vary the periods of boiling, as desired.

The operation is as follows: The operator will set the stop-bar e in position according to the length of the boiling period desired, and then lower the basket 0 into the boiler. This will cause the weight (1 to be lifted until it is arrested by the stop-bar 6. During the upward movement of the weight, the spring 12 will permit the frame g to swing backwardly so that the teeth of rack 03' can ride upwardly on the teeth of wheel g until the weight d is arrested by the stop-bar e. The Weight d, as it is lifted, will swing the controller arm 25 backwardly to rock shaft 23 and shift the switch h to start the motor. Through the reduction gearing, the motor will rotate shaft 19, slowly intermeshing gears g g shaft 9', and the toothed wheel g. This will permit the weight (I to move downwardly until the rack d clears the teeth of wheel g and, thereupon, the weight will drop and lift the basket 0 out of the boiler. Either of the mechanisms may be used singly or simultaneously. As long as any of the controller arms 25 is held by a weight d, the motor will continue to run, and as soon as all of the controller arms are released, the motor will stop.

In use, it frequently occurs, that it is desired to shorten the period of boiling after the stop-bar e has been set, or to lengthen the period of boiling. When this is desired, the operator will press forwardly on the finger-piece 17 which will swing the frame 9 to move the toothed wheel g bodily to disengage it from rack 01'. If the boiling period is to be terminated before the expiration of the period for which the stop-bar e has been set, the operator, by pressing the finger-piece 1'7, releases the weight d. Any time that it is desired to lengthen the period, the stop-bar 6 will be lifted and the frame g shifted to disengage toothed wheel g from the rack, and the chains 0' pulled downwardly to lift the weight to the stop-bar. This exemplifies a time-controlled mechanism which comprises a reciprocatory rack and a toothed wheel in which the wheel may be shifted at will when it is desired to shorten or lengthen the boiling periods. It will also be understood that any number of time-controlled mechanisms may be operated by the mechanism illustrated and described.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an egg boiler, it will be understood that it is applicable to other uses.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In time controlled mechanism of the character described, the combination of a device to be shifted, a reciprocatory element for shifting said device, provided with a rack, a rotatable toothed wheel for engaging the rack and controlling the movement of said element, a pivoted support for said wheel, movable to disengage the wheel from the rack, and means for checking the rotation of the wheel comprising a pair of meshing gears, one of which is rotatable with the wheel, said support being pivoted to swing substantially about the axis of the other gear.

2. In time controlled mechanism of the character described, the combination of a device to be shifted, a reciprocatory element for shifting said device, provided with a rack, a rotatable toothed wheel for engaging the rack and controlling the movement of said element, a pivoted support for said wheel, operable movable to disengage the wheel from the rack, a spring applied to the support so as to hold said wheel in the path of the rack, and means for checking the rotation of the wheel comprising a pair of meshing gears, one of which is secured to rotate with the wheel.

3. In time controlled mechanism of the character described, the combination of a device to be shifted, a reciprocatory element for shifting said device, provided with a rack, a rotatable toothed wheel engaging the rack and for controlling the movement of said element, a pivoted support for said wheel movable to disengage the wheel from the rack, and means for checking the rotation of the wheel comprising a motor and a pair of meshing gears, one of which is fixed to rotate with the wheel, and the other of which is connected to the motor.

4. In time controlled mechanism of the character described, the combination of a device to be shifted, a reciprocatory element for shifting said device, provided with a rack, a rotatable toothed wheel for engaging the rack and controlling the movement .of said element, a pivoted support for said wheel, movable to disengage the wheel and rack, and means for checking the rotation of the wheel comprising a shaft on which said support is pivoted, a pair of meshing gears, one of which is fixed to rotate with the wheel, and the other of which is mounted on said shaft, and a motor connected to said shaft, said support being pivoted on said shaft.

JOHN J. NOETH. FREDERICK E. HUMMEL. 

